#college basketball coaches poll

We’re a long way from March Madness, but today we present one early indicator of which teams are expected to be there. The preseason USA TODAY Sports coaches poll is out, and for the second consecutive year, Duke will be the No. 1 team entering the campaign.

That could be good or bad news if you’re a Blue Devils fan. It’s the seventh time overall since USA TODAY began administering the coaches poll that Duke is the preseason No. 1. But the Blue Devils finished as NCAA champions in only one of those prior seasons when they successfully defended the title in 1992.

Duke was No. 1 last season and struggled for much of the season before winning the ACC tournament and an early NCAA exit in the second round against South Carolina.

Based on its strong recruiting class and returning talent, Duke received 20 of 32 first-place votes. The Blue Devils head a group of five ACC members in the top 25, the most for any conference.

See the full preseason USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll